Without waiting for their response, Ak-tu pushed the open window up the rest of the way and hopped out. Once his feet landed on the hard soil, the sun warm on his back, he headed for the shade of the forest. His headache seemed to be worsening, ringing through his ears and rattling his brain, as if stones were hitting him left and right. Stumbling to a nearby tree, he pulled out his personal mirror from his shorts pocket and sat down.

Jabali’s face soon appeared on the glass, Ak-tu barely comprehending that he had selected his friend’s name on the tiny contact list. Wiping the wetness off his face, his vision returned to normal by the time Jabali answered the call.

“Ak-tu?” Jabali yelped in surprise, leaning close to the mirror. “You okay? Wha’s wrong?”

“I’m…okay,” Ak-tu mumbled. “I just… Jabali…do you remember why Chaocat and I fought?”

“’Cuz tha’ cat was a maniac,” Jabali huffed, still peering at Ak-tu in concern. 

“You never liked them, but I was their friend,” Ak-tu said softly. “So why would I fight them? They attacked me first, but…why?”

“How should I know? It ain’t like I was on the island with ya at tha’ time, and I hadn’t been with ya for months beforehand,” Jabali pointed out. 

Ak-tu sighed and lowered his eyes to the dirt. “Yeah…”

“Why does it matter? Who knows why they mighta attacked ya, but ya fought back to defend yourself. Tha’ cat was crazy, Ak-tu,” Jabali said, his sapphire eyes staring at Ak-tu intensely. “They’re still crazy, by the sound o’ it.” 

“I just…wish I remembered why,” Ak-tu muttered, pressing a fist against his aching forehead. “It could be the reason they’re back…”

“Well, who knows wha’s going through tha’ spirit’s mind,” Jabali grunted. “Ak-tu, you don’t look well. Get inside and hydrate. Have ya been eatin’ much?”

“I think so…”

“Go eat again, just t’be sure,” Jabali instructed firmly. “And call me if you’re still not feelin’ good in an hour or so, m’kay?”

Ak-tu took a deep breath, then released it, the headache lessening as he did so. “I’m feeling a little better already. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Jabali snorted derisively, the sound so loud that it caught Ak-tu by surprise and he looked back to the mirror. “Like tha’ will ever happen! I’m always worrying ’bout you, ya dunderhead! You’re always gettin’ into trouble, or not eatin’, or takin’ on too mu—” 

“Okay, okay!” Ak-tu grumbled. “But I am feeling better. I’ll talk to you later.”

“See tha’ you do.”

Jabali hung up the call before Ak-tu could retort something in response. Shrugging, he placed the mirror back in his pocket and got to his feet. But as he headed back to the window he had hopped out of, his headache returned full-force.

How did Chaocat become corrupt? Why did we fight?